Evie guided that baby right into the curves. The engine roared, the tires gripped the road, she grinned as she drove. This was the most fun she’d ever had in her life...legally.
A flash caught her eye. More flashes. Blue and red flashes. And the wail of a siren.
An Alaska state trooper was pulling her over.
GAINFULLY EMPLOYED
“OH, NO,” EVIE WHISPERED. She took her foot off the gas and pulled into a turn out. “I’m so sorry, Mr. White.”
“Donald. You didn’t do anything wrong. You were barely speeding. The cop stopped you because he can’t believe anyone is driving this car. Up here, it’s all SUVs, pickups and all-terrain vehicles.”
From the tone of his voice, Evie deduced he liked law enforcement as little as she did.
Donald pulled her wallet and license from her backpack and some paperwork from the console. He handed it all to her. “Here. Give him this and let me handle the rest. Remember, he’s freezing and he’s pissed, so no matter what, smile and give him the admiring-a-man-in-uniform look.”
Evie was watching the rearview mirror. “Her. It’s a female trooper.”
“Even better. Remember—you always wanted to be a cop.”
“Okay.” Evie lowered the window as the officer stalked up to the car. As the frigid air rolled in, Evie caught her breath and offered the paperwork. “Hello, ma’am. Is there a problem?”
The trooper’s jacket said Officer Johnson. “Five miles over the speed limit when it’s frozen solid and all you have to do is slip a tire to go spinning off the road, and I’ll have to get a tow truck out here to bring you in!”
Donald was right. The trooper was cranky, looking at the car, fender to fender, in total disbelief. She thoroughly examined the paperwork.
Impulsively, Evie said, “It’s cold out there. Do you want to sit inside with us? At least if you’re going to write a ticket, you might as well be comfortable.”
At Evie’s invitation, Officer Johnson stepped back and put her hand on her gun.
Uh-oh. Somehow she’d decided Evelyn really didn’t belong in this car.
“You’d better get out,” Officer Johnson said.
For the first time, Donald leaned across the console, looked up at the officer and, in a voice as smooth as hot fudge, he said, “Please don’t make her get out. She’s my niece from California. I just picked her up at the Anchorage airport, and this jacket is all she’s got in the way of cold-weather gear. Much more exposure and she’ll be frozen solid.” He smiled that same smile that had made Evie like him right off the bat.
Officer Johnson enjoyed a little thaw herself. But she was a sensible woman, and she proved it with her next question. “If she’s your niece from California, what’s she doing driving this car? In this weather?”
“She’s up here to help me with my work. She’s going to get the groceries, go to the bank, grab fast food, that kind of thing. I wanted her to practice driving with me in the car. It’s the only responsible thing to do.”
“He’s a really responsible uncle.” Evie hoped that helped.
“The car is registered to a Michele Jameson.” So Officer Johnson had looked it up before she’d come to the window.
“She sold it to me in the same transaction as the house. I can’t believe that hasn’t been updated yet.” He pulled an indignant-citizen frown. “Can you advise me? What should I do to expedite the process?”
“It probably means she hasn’t transferred the title.” Officer Johnson kept a suspicious eye on them and checked her tablet.
He thought about it. “You’re right. It must’ve slipped her mind, I’m sure. Her husband is an antiquities expert. He’s being held hostage in Magara, for ransom. It was in the news. You’ve probably heard about it. She sold me the house, took her son, Timothy, and went to live with her parents while she raises the money to free him. I’m contributing, of course.”
Evie found herself relieved that Donald White was such a good guy.
Officer Johnson didn’t seem impressed. In fact, her eyes narrowed, and she got that cynical-cop look.
“I’ll give Mrs. Jameson a call,” Donald White said. “We’ll get this straightened out ASAP.”
“You do that.” Officer Johnson must not have found a stolen-car report on her tablet, because she handed the paperwork back to Evie. “I should give you a warning ticket.”
Donald leaned over more. “Please don’t. Evelyn’s license is new. I’ll personally make sure that from now on she’s more cautious.”
“Make sure you get the insurance updated, too.” Officer Johnson bent down and looked them both over as if memorizing their faces, then stepped back. “You’re free to go. Young woman, keep your foot light on that accelerator, and steer into a skid.”
“Thank you.” Relief made Evie sag. “I will. Thank you!”
The trooper waved them on.
“That went about as well as could be expected.” Donald sounded pleased, but he looked behind them as Evie pulled back onto the road. He faced forward. “Figures. She’s going to follow us to show off her big-cop muscles.”
Evie drove with excessive caution down the highway.
After a few miles, Donald laughed. “You’re going so slow, she got bored and turned off. Go on, bring it back up to the speed limit.”
Evie did as she was told. “This week, I, um, have to go in and report to the local cops.”
“Why?”
“Because someone has to make sure I’m gainfully employed and not committing any more crimes.”
“That’s stupid.” He waved the news away. “I’ll call and talk to them.”
“Would you?” She was lavishly grateful. “I hate being anywhere near cops. They either got into the job because they want to help simpleminded, misguided folks or because they’re bullies and with a badge they can officially pick on everybody.” Maybe she was being unfair about the good ones, but she was ugly right about the bad ones.
“The bullies get off on making people miserable,” he said, “so you have to learn to spot the do-gooders, get them on your side, and you can manipulate them to do whatever you need.”
She glanced at him in surprise. He sounded like he’d been through the system. Which was interesting because if he had, he was living proof you could move on, get rich and own a Jag.
They passed the city limits sign: Welcome to Rockin, Alaska. Population 1,643. So more than the thousand Donald White reported. Yet she saw no town, no buildings, just the same frozen landscape and trees.